Process of separating sulphur from other materials



Patented ea. 30, i928.

UNITED. STATES- PATENT iorr c g,

KENNETH M. Baum, or SAN raancrsco, camroama.

. rnocnssor snram'rme sUnrnUIi raom o'rHEa ATERIALS;

mechanical difficulties encountered.-

It is the object of this invention to' devise a cheap and effective process oit obtaining relatively pure sulphur from its ores or from .other materials containing it.

In my processthe sulphur bearing material is crushed to a'suitable size and heated 9 above the melting point of sulphur by im mer sion into --'a 'solution of zinc chloride. (ZnCl of specific gravity greater than 1.81

. at 114 degrees centigrade. Under these con ditions, the sulphur :is. melted. and being lighter than the zinc chloride solution, floats as a melt upon the solution, whereas the impurities belng mainly heavier'th'an the zinc chloride'solution go to the bottom of: the container. It has been found that there is not sufiicient chemical action between the sulphur and the zinc chloride solution to vitally afi'ect'the process. The boiling pointof the zinc chloride solution is well above such temperatures as may be required. A separation of practically all of the sulphur 1 from the gangue is effected, due to the-preferential tendency of the gangue to be wetted by aqueous solutions rather than ,by molten sulphur. After the sulphur is melted it is 40 run oil from the container and cast in moulds or otherwise treated. The gangue is also removed and treated for'recovery of the adhering.zincchloride solution.- The main body ofthe zinc chloride solution is used overand over until contaminated to such an extent that it requires'purification, when this v is done and it is returned to the process.

' This process may be made continuous and i inractl'ce may be carried out as follows: 60 The ore iscrushed to. approximately one inch size'and screened. if necessary to remove fines, which may be treated separately.

This one inch ore is fed together with relatively hot zinc chloride solution. into a rdtary filter and washed thereon. The

- materials.

a, 1927. serial 1%.. 217,530.

steam jack'etedhorizoiital cylinder wherein the mixture is heated above the melting point i of sulphur. There-are a number ofi these the mixture into the next stage of the process. From the rotary cylinder the mixture is fed into a separator, so constructed that the molten sulphur can bejcontinuously tapped off from the surface ofthe mixture and the gangue can be continuously removed ,from.

the bottom, ofthe separator. The tapped ofi sulphurmay'be cast in molds and sold or may be subjected to further treatment. I The removed gangue is Washed by counter current decantation or. filtered on a continuous washing cylinders, preferably threeor more in order .that there may be a continuous discharge of medium is water, dilute hydrochlbric acid or other suitable material.

The Wash Waters are evaporated in any suit- I The Washed Y gangue lsdlscarded-in any sultable manner.

able evaporator, the evolved steam being .used for heating purposes and the evaporated zlnc chloride returned to the process.

- I claim:

sulphur from; other materials, the ste s of heating material contaiuing elementa' sulphur together wlth an'aqueous solution of than the specific gravitysof molten sulphur when at the same temperature and'less than the extraneous matter otherthan sulphur present, to a temperature above the, melting pointof sulphur, and removing the floating 1. In a process of separating elemental the specificgravity of the main portion of.

molten sulphur substantially free from-other '2. In a process of separatin elemental sulphur from other materials, he steps of heating material'containing elemental sulphur together with aniaqueoussolutioniof metallic salts of a strength such that the specific gravityof this solution is greater t than the specific gravity of molten sulphur" when at the same-temperature and less than the specific gravity of the mainportion 0,f the extraneousv matter other than sulphur.

materials.

process of separating elemental sulthe same temperature and less than the specific gravity of'theinain portion of the extraneous matter. other than sul' hur present, to a temperature above the me ting point of sulphur? cooling the mixture until the sulphur solidifies, and removing the solidified sulphur.

.. x 9' KENNETH M. BAUM. 

